The inventor of Bair Hugger warming blankets is warning of the risk for infections the device could cause when used during orthopedic surgeries.
Dr. Scott D. Augustine invented the Bair Hugger warming blanket and introduced it in 1988, but now he is claiming the device is more risky than once thought.
“I am very proud of the old technology,” Augustine told the New York Times. “But I am also proud to spread the word that there is a problem.”
Doctors use the warming blankets in millions of surgeries every year to prevent hypothermia – a condition where the body loses heat quicker than it can produce it.
